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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers better performance for intensive engineering tasks and gaming with its higher-end graphics, but its larger size and weight compromise portability. Conversely, the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is more portable and has better battery life, suitable for general use and its touchscreen adds versatility. The Inspiron is less expensive, but has lower performance for demanding applications due to its integrated graphics. If gaming or demanding tasks are important, the m17 R5 is a better choice, whereas for everyday tasks and portability, the Inspiron 14 7425 is more suited. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7425
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.2
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 features a high-end GPU and a screen with a fast refresh rate, which are very important for an immersive gaming and smooth 3D experience. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has a less powerful GPU and a lower refresh rate, making it less suitable for demanding gaming and 3D tasks, though it still manages decent performance for less intensive uses.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.9
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 stands out for engineering and design due to its powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, RTX 3060 GPU, and substantial screen size and quality, which support demanding tasks and detailed visuals, although it's less portable and louder under load.
Screen Quality
8.1
6.2
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 boasts a screen with high resolution and brightness suitable for general use and engineering tasks, with a color range that benefits professionals in design, but its lower refresh rate may not be ideal for 3D applications and gaming which require smoother visuals. The Dell Inspiron 14 7425, while providing adequate resolution and brightness for daily activities and some engineering work, might fall short for color-intensive design tasks due to a less comprehensive color gamut, and it's not optimized for gaming or 3D content due to its modest refresh rate. Overall, the Alienware's display excels in professional environments but gamers might be unimpressed, and the Inspiron, being fair across the board, is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none.
Battery
5.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has 7.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Poor
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
7.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7425 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,100
$800
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a price of $1,100 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 costs $800.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 are both good for general use.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 offers a larger screen and superior gaming performance suitable for demanding tasks, but it is less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 7425, which provides a smaller screen with higher resolution and better portability, while still delivering ample performance for everyday use and flexibility as a 2-in-1 convertible.
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.4
7.3
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Dell Inspiron 14 7425 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Alienware m17 R5 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7425 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware m17 R5 | Dell Inspiron 14 7425 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $800 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.3 lbs | 3.61 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.76" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 97 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 260 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.5/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware m17 R5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | January 2023
"Overall, the all-AMD system in the Alienware m17 R5 is impressive, especially the graphics performance. However, various driver issues and unnecessary inconsistencies prevent us from truly enjoying such a potent gaming machine. In addition to strong 3D performance, we particularly like the build quality, the fairly bright UHD display with high color space coverage, and the fact that the gamer is often quiet when not under load and also rather quieter than some competitors under load."
Dell Inspiron 14 7425
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Jared Newman | December 2021
"Overall, this Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 offers a lot to like, especially at its oft-discounted price of $800. It’s a sturdy laptop with strong performance, a convertible touchscreen, loud speakers, and a convenient fingerprint reader. But the trade-offs you’ll make in pursuit of that lower price—most notably the dim display and stiff trackpad—might just keep you from outright loving it."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware m17 R5 or the Dell Inspiron 14 7425
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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